noun HSK 4
Traditional 勇氣
yǒng
courage · bravery · guts

Meaning

勇气 refers to the mental or moral strength to face difficulty, danger, pain, or fear. It describes the quality of being brave and having the willingness to confront challenging situations despite being afraid.

Usage

勇气 is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts. It often appears in motivational or inspirational speech, as well as everyday conversation about facing challenges. Native speakers frequently use it with verbs like 有 (to have), 需要 (to need), or 鼓起 (to muster up).

Examples

  1. 01
    他鼓起勇气向她表白了。
    yǒng xiàng biǎo bái le.
    He mustered up the courage to confess his feelings to her.
  2. 02
    面对困难需要很大的勇气
    Miàn duì kùn nán yào hěn de yǒng .
    It takes great courage to face difficulties.

Characters

Common collocations

  • 勇气
    yǒu yǒng
    to have courage
  • 鼓起勇气
    yǒng
    to muster up courage
  • 需要勇气
    yào yǒng
    to need courage
  • 缺乏勇气
    quē yǒng
    to lack courage

Antonyms

Origin

勇 originally depicted a warrior in ancient Chinese, representing bravery in battle. 气 refers to vital energy or spirit. Together, 勇气 literally means 'brave spirit' or the inner strength that enables courageous action.

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